The Noon Number: 7 – Number of players on the current rosters who have appeared in all 19 Capitals–Rangers playoff games between 2009 and 2012. Alex Ovechkin, Brooks Laich, Mike Green and Nicklas Backstrom are the only current Capitals to have played in all 19, while Dan Girardi, Henrik Lundqvist and Marc Staal are the seasoned vets from New York (although with injuries to Laich and Staal, at least two of those streaks are probably about to end).
On the flip side, fifteen players from both teams will be suiting up – or could – for their first taste of playoff hockey between these two squads. Rick Nash, Taylor Pyatt, Derick Brassard, Ryane Clowe, John Moore, J.T. Miller, Arron Asham, Kris Newbury, and Darroll Powe would be making their Caps-Rangers debut as Blueshirts, while Martin Erat, Jack Hillen, Steven Oleksy, Mathieu Perreault, Mike Ribeiro and Aaron Volpatti will do the same for the Caps.
Wojtek Wolski and Roman Hamrlik hold the dubious distinction of appearing on the playoff roster for both sides… although both are likely to watch from the press box this year.